israel

Supporters of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and On Earth Peace, an agency of the US Church of the Brethren, have visited the West Bank and Israel to explore civil society responses to conflict, security and community.

There are fears that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is set to worsen after a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, supported by church and other groups, failed to stop the government from stepping up its blockade of the territory.

Israeli authorities have released the bodies of two men shot by settlers to the Palestine Red Crescent Society for burial in their home community of Beit Ummar in the Hebron District - but the mourners were then fired on by the IDF.

Christian Aid and other church groups say that the breach of the border between Gaza and Egypt demonstrates the desperation of a people held hostage to both a policy of collective punishment and an inadequate peace process.

Following protests from civic, human rights and church groups, Israel has said that it will allow some fuel and medicine into the Gaza Strip - but only for one day. Its blockade has contributed to a large humanitarian crisis.

UK-based international development agency Christian Aid has welcomed US President George Bush’s statement on the Middle East calling for ‘an end to the occupation that began in 1967’, referring to Israel and Palestinian lands.

A new Scottish carol tells how a huge barrier constructed by Israel in Palestinian territory divides races and religions, stopping ordinary people getting to the place where the founder of Christianity was born 2000 years ago.

Leaders of Britain's 250,000 strong Jewish community are among those welcoming a decision by the Muslim Council of Britain, the country's largest Islamic organization, to end its boycott of Holocaust Day on 27 January every year.

Israel is jeopardising chances of peace in the Middle East by announcing plans to build more than 300 new houses in east Jerusalem, Christian Aid has said. The Israeli government announced on Tuesday it had invited bids to build the homes south of Jerusalem.

An all-volunteer group of professional, collegiate and church musicians and choir singers from seven US states will embark on December 14 for the Holy Land, to join with Israeli and Palestinian musicians to perform a progressive, four-city Christmas choir tour